


Stars Were Exploding Companion Pieces

by orphan_account



Series: Stars Were Exploding 'Verse [2]
Category: The Hobbit (2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Arranged Marriage, Companion Piece, F/M, Fluff, Kid Fic, Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-28
Updated: 2013-03-10
Packaged: 2017-12-03 21:21:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/702762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of short stories/companion pieces pertaining to the 'verse for Stars Were Exploding.  Features always a girl!Kili and her life as a fighter, queen, mother, and anything else in-between.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Bilbo Receives More Unexpected Guests

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, hello! This is a fic that will be updated whenever I feel that I have something I want to add to the verse. Some of these pieces will not necessarily be in Kili's POV, even though they will have to do with her in many regards. Other than that, I hope it's enjoyable :o)
> 
> As a note, Fili and Kili's child goes by a different name in this piece. She is using her secondary non-Khuzdul name, Bis. I hope this is fine/not too confusing!

There was a rumor about dwarves being on the outskirts of the Shire, but Bilbo didn’t think anything of it. It was nearly eight years since he returned from his adventure and he hadn’t heard from the company since. He didn’t mind. He quite enjoyed his life at Bag End and wasn’t particularly interested in another adventure for a long while. It seemed that the dwarves were enjoying themselves reconstructing their home, even though he didn’t hear much discussion about it amongst hobbits.

He certainly hoped that the members of the company were doing well. When he found himself lonely enough, he wondered if Fíli was handling being a king well enough and that Kíli was able to stay under the mountain without missing the sun too much. 

One afternoon, he found himself preparing afternoon tea as his doorbell rang.

He pattered over to the door, trying to recall if he had made an offhand comment that someone should come over that afternoon. He swung the door open and realized that even if he was given nearly an hour, he never would have guessed who was at his door.

Standing proudly in front of him was a trio of dwarves, two of which more familiar than the smaller one in the center. The one in the center, most likely a child, curtseyed politely as the other two bowed their heads.

“It appears that we came by unannounced again,” Fíli said. All it took was his smile and a tilt of his head, the braids of his moustache swinging wildly just enough for Bilbo to remember. 

“We figured that we asked enough hobbits for directions getting here that you’d find out sooner than if we sent you a letter!” Kíli added. Bilbo found himself having more difficulty realizing it was her. She was wearing bright blue clothes with detailing that looked so much softer than anything she wore when they were on an adventure together. She was no longer as wiry as she was at that time, either.

Bilbo finally allowed himself to study the child, who jumped around excitedly. “And who are you, little one?” he asked.

“My name is Bah… oh no! I can’t use that name!” the child hid behind Kíli’s pantleg. Kíli laughed, pushing the child back in front of her. “Pretend she didn’t say that. Promise?” her dark eyes twinkled in a way that Bilbo never saw before. 

“I didn’t hear anything,” Bilbo swears. A little girl, then. At least he knew better than to make assumptions, after meeting Kíli. “So who are you, little one?”

The little girl stood up straight, curtseying again as she pinched her pantlegs. “I am Bís, daughter of Kíli, Queen Under the Mountain!”

“We’re still working on that,” Fíli noted, patting her blonde curls.

“He’s just jealous, because she said that including his name is too wordy,” Kíli added.

“Ah, right,” Bilbo said, “Well, Miss Bís, daughter of Kíli, Queen Under the Mountain. I am Bilbo Baggins. We don’t really do introductions quite like that, but my father’s name was Bungo, if you’re curious.”

Bís giggled, nodding her head.

“Would you like to come in?” Bilbo asked, opening the door wider. “Is anyone else with you?”

“We left the rest of our party in Bree,” Fíli explained as he stepped inside, leading the rest of his family to do the same. Kíli pulled Bís aside, instructing her daughter to remove her boots before they entered the home. Bilbo found himself baffled, recalling the time that Kíli used his mother’s glory box as if it was a rock to get the mud out of her boots.

“Well, I just put some tea on, if you’d like,” Bilbo explained, leading them through his home. “I’m sure I have some cakes and things, as well.”

“That sounds good,” Fíli replied. Bís simply went into a babbling fit about the prospect of eating sweets.

Bilbo wondered if he should have treated a royal family to something more, but he resisted. If they were interested in staying for supper, he could certainly make a stop at the market to get something more extravagant. He then realized that there was most likely nothing in the Shire comparable to anything a king, queen, and princess were used to eating.

The family sat patiently as Bilbo prepared everything. At one point, Bís asked if she could help and he found himself ready to question her lineage. Eventually, he had everything set up and sat across from them, carefully blowing at his tea. He was overwhelmed with questions he wanted answers to. He wondered how the mountain was doing and wanted to know what each member of the company was up to. He also wanted to learn more about the tiny little girl that was currently licking honey off of her fingers as she watched her parents carefully, wondering if they would notice the second one she already put on her plate. He found himself noting how she had her father’s hair, her mother’s eyes, and a blend of the two’s need to push elders’ buttons.

Fíli reached over to her plate, swiping the cake off and took a large bite out of it. “So how have you been?” he asked. His tone was more practiced and formal then Bilbo ever heard him before. The boy that reached out for him as he left the Erebor with no intention to return was no longer traceable in his voice.

“Oh, I’ve been well,” Bilbo replied, smiling brightly, “No more adventures. How have you been?” 

“On our first adventure in awhile,” Kíli explained, pinching a corner of Fíli’s cake to pop it into her mouth. “We wanted to come sooner. We had plans about eight years ago, but somebody decided to come along and make that difficult.” She briefly glared at her daughter, giving her a wicked grin.

Bís huffed, trying to pull her fingers apart. 

Kíli pinched her shoulder and turned to Bilbo. She appeared distracted, but not in a way that Bilbo could be offended by. Fíli was only able to focus on him for a minute at a time before he had to check on his daughter, as well.

Bís politely asked for more cake and got half of one. She tried her best to savor it. As she licked her fingers, Fíli asked if she could play with her dolls elsewhere. Bilbo granted her permission to go out into the garden, provided she did not terrorize any of his flowers. He hoped that she took after her father in regards toward following orders.

The three adults moved outside with her, sitting at a nearby bench, watching her recreate what sounded like a delegate meeting between her three dolls.

Bilbo smirked “I always assumed that if you were to have children, they would be playing with swords, not dolls.”

“We did, too,” Fíli replied glumly, “But it’s not so bad. She somehow absorbs information like you wouldn’t believe. She’ll probably be a political terror to anyone that crosses her path in a few decades.”

“I’m still holding out that she’ll want to at least learn how to use a bow,” Kíli added, “Although, I tried to take her hunting once and she cried when I shot a rabbit.”

Fíli snickered, but quickly covered his mouth. “Sorry, you have to admit. That was hilarious.”

“She called me a bunny killer for a week!” Kíli balked.

“And she could have held a grudge with you for many more,” Fíli added.

It was enough for Bilbo to finally ease up. Just because they were in roles different from when he last saw them, didn’t mean that they were no longer the duo that he found himself so endeared to. 

“Tell me what has happened in that blasted mountain,” Bilbo demanded.

The two of them grinned, telling a story collectively with the two of them jumping in to fill in details the other missed. Things seemed to be going well. But even when talking about politics, their conversations seemed to always come back to their daughter. She liked to play with her dolls and was in the habit of running off to the stable and feeding her pony apples when they were in season. When Bilbo learned that she shoved a boy into several hay bales when he made fun of her nose, he realized that he knew more about her than whatever the rest of the company was up to.

Finally, he got some details teased out. It seemed that everyone was doing well. Some returned to their occupations as miners and toymakers, but others were appointed positions in court by Fíli himself. “It felt proper,” Fíli said, absentmindedly reaching over Bilbo’s shoulder to brush his fingers against Kíli’s shoulder. “I’m not sure if Thorin would have done it, but... I wanted to.”

Bilbo faced Kíli, who had grabbed Fíli’s hand and gripped it tightly. “Something tells me you don’t just sit next to him all day and watch court proceed.”

Kíli shook her head, grinning. “Not at all,” she replied, “I mostly visit the villages and make sure that everything is running fine. I also am overseeing a program with Dwalin that provides young girls the ability to learn combat together.”

“She’s really passionate about having a world in which little sisters don’t need to use their brother’s hand-me-down weapons that are too big,” Fíli teased.

“I just think our population could really use some more fighters,” she explained, “It’s not even for war. I just think that they should know what to do if a situation occurs.” She lifted her nose and let go of Fíli’s hand.

Bilbo grinned. He got up to see if Bís would like a partner while her parents have alone time for what Bilbo was beginning to be convinced was eight years. Bís put down her dolls and asked if he’d like to play some form of tag. Before he knew it, he was running around, traipsing through his property, making sure to keep several steps behind her. He waited until the sun was beginning to set before he led her back to her parents. They were sitting side-by-side, Kíli’s ankle wrapped around Fíli’s as Fíli smoked from his pipe.

Bís began to collect her dolls from the grass as Fíli and Kíli buttoned their jackets and tightened the laces of their boots. Before Bilbo could even think, he sputtered, “Will you be staying for supper? I’d quite like the company. I wouldn’t even mind if you stayed the night.”

“We couldn’t…” Fíli started.

“Oh! If it’s fine with you…” Kíli started.

“I should have asked earlier,” Bilbo confessed, “I could have gotten ingredients from the market and all that…”

“That’s not a problem!” Kíli exclaimed.

“Would you like help?” Bís asked. Once again, Bilbo was baffled by her manners.

An hour or so later, Bilbo found himself at his table again with te family. This time, the conversations were much warmer. Bilbo opened a barrel of ale and Bís sighed as everyone else’s laughter got louder. Eventually, Bís yawned and Fíli got up, collecting her in his arms. “Ready for bed?” he asked her, smiling as she burrowed her head into his tunic.

Bís finally nodded, making a soft grunting noise.

“Give me a few minutes?” he asked, facing Kíli and Bilbo. 

Kíli shrugged, swinging her feet up on his chair. “Goodnight, my love,” shetold her daughter, grinning when she twitched in response. Fíli left and Kíli leaned back, taking a large gulp of her ale. She turned to Bilbo, her dark eyes shining. “It’s nice to be back here,” she said.

He smiled. While he wasn’t particularly fond of having such a large company of dwarves arrive unannounced nearly a decade ago, it was certainly nice to see his home full of such smiling faces. 

He finally felt himself falter, recalling the presence of a dwarf that sat in the very spot at his table that he was in at that moment. The one who led Fíli, Kíli, and himself to reclaim the throne that he didn’t even have a chance to truly sit on.

“Do you miss him?” he asked, his voice cracking more than he expected. He cleared his throat and considered repeating himself

“Of course I do,” she told him, “I still can’t quite make myself to go to his tomb. I ask myself if I am making him proud. If Fíli and I are making the right decisions and king and queen.” She clinked her mug on the table. “The first few months were hard. But… eventually the nightmares stopped. The memories became stories we tell Bís when she is willing to listen. Sometimes when we spend times with members of the company, he’s brought up. We talk about him. And our lives move on. We’ll meet again. It may take awhile, but we will. I just hope that he looks at me and says that I made him proud.” 

“Something tells me he will,” he told her. There was something he always found particularly endearing about Kíli. It was possible that she was one of the few willing to divulge him in dwarven culture. It was also possible that she was a kind girl, now woman, and she seemed to be on a constant mission to find happiness for herself and others at every turn.

They watched each other for a moment, listening to the way the fire was popping in the hearth nearby. Finally, Bilbo said, “I’m going to admit, I was pleasantly surprised by the visit, but I don’t think I was ever going to be prepared to see you with a child.”

“It’s quite odd, isn’t it?” she asked, taking his mug and her own to refill them. She returned to the table and took a sip before she continued, “It wasn’t planned. At all. I mean, it was certainly expected that we would have a child. I just didn’t think it’d happen several months after we were wed.”

“She’s quite wonderful. Very, very polite.”

Kíli rolled her eyes. “We interact with the elves too much for her to act otherwise,” she grumbled, “She certainly has her moments. We may have had to stop a few times for at temper tantrum.” She finally lifted her legs off of Fíli’s chair and placed them back on the ground. “Are you happy, Bilbo?”

He squinted, wondering what set her off. “Oh, yes. I’m quite happy. Adventuring was fun, but I’m quite content to be back here. I’ve seen mountains and I’m quite all right with only reading about them again.”

She smiled. “I’m happy to hear that,” she told him, “I really, truly am.”

“And you?” he asked her.

She nodded quickly, without even having to consider it. “Not quite what I expected, but I am so happy!”

“Who’s happy?” Fíli asked, returning to his chair. “Also, can you keep it down? She’s finally asleep.”

“We all are!” Kíli exclaimed, kissing him on the lips. Fíli appeared shocked by the gesture, but recovered with a grin. 

Bilbo took a long sip from his ale and smiled. He didn’t quite expect that he was going to be entertaining a king and queen when he got up that morning. However, the more he spent time with them, the more he realized that even with the fancy titles and the noble blood running through their veins, they were still the same pair that laughed too hard, loved too earnestly, and fought side-by-side with him as they charged toward a mountain together.  
Fíli and Kíli faced him again, their shoulders touching and their fingers tangled up together.

“Hey, do you want us to clear the table?” Kíli asked, already grabbing the bowl to toss toward Fíli.

“No, no! That’s quite all right!” Bilbo exclaimed, grabbing as many of the plates as he could hold far away from them. 

In hindsight, it seemed rather silly to expect that they wouldn’t be tempted to toss his kitchenware again.


	2. Four Times Fili Didn't Want to Own Kili and One Time He Did

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fili has always refused to accept that he owned Kili, even though they were arranged to be married for most of his life. When Kili is in a potential life or death situation, Fili wishes that he could own her if it kept her safe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is my first attempt at a 4+1 format. I'm pretty sure this is a really ambitious variation of the prompt? Well, I really hope you enjoy!
> 
> This was based around a prompt I got from a very lovely anon that read this: "I think you should write some sort of piece about the birth of Bis. With drama. Like, Kili almost dying in the birth - complications. I have a thing for that. Or, or, just a general piece with hurt!Kili, protective!Fili." So what I did was touch upon the lack of protectiveness on Fili's end throughout their lives together and how it kind of catches up with him when a situation like the prompt suggested takes place.
> 
> Of course, as always, if you have other prompt ideas, feel free to put them in the comments or message me @ gandalfexmachina.tumblr.com. I hope you read and enjoy!

The arranged marriage between Fíli and Kíli was made as soon as Kíli was born. Fíli was expected to be his uncle’s heir, taking over the throne if need be with his sister-wife waiting dutifully as his side.

But when Kíli’s baby blue eyes became dark brown and she learned how to crawl as far as she could until her little limbs gave out, any passerby was made aware that she wasn’t particularly interested in waiting dutifully.

Kíli wanted as much of the world as she could get. She demanded love, bows, and boots, all necessary for a life full of adventures in nearby woods and triumphant returns to a warm, happy home. She wanted Fíli at her side, because he was her big brother and her best friend. Fíli gladly followed, because she was his little sister and his best friend.

When he was on the cusp of his tenth year, he was told of the arrangement. He had spent the day carrying his sister around the market as their mother worked.

Fíli didn’t know many dwarf children, let alone dwarf children with siblings. He assumed that they were closer than their uncle Thorin and their mother were, but he didn’t care. Kíli was all he had at times and he was going to treat her with the amount of affection that she deserved.

That evening, Dís put Kíli to bed and didn’t order him to follow her. He bounced around excitedly, asking, “I get to stay up late?”

Dís laughed, sitting down next to him. His father and uncle joined them, dragging their chairs closer.

“Did I do something wrong?” he asked, beginning to shrink in his chair. He couldn’t recall anything that he did that day that could possibly warrant punishment.

“No, Fíli, you did nothing wrong,” his father said, rubbing his shoulder reassuringly.”

“You’re our wonderful, golden boy,” Dís added, “Someday you’ll be a great king.”

“Nuh uh,” Fíli said, shaking his head, “Uncle Thorin’s gonna be the king!” He grinned at his uncle and wiggled when his uncle smiled back.

“Well, yes, but there may come a time that I will not be able to be king,” Thorin explained, slumping down to look Fíli in the eye. “If that happens, you will become king. It means you’re my heir, Fíli.”

“So I needa be ready!” Fíli exclaimed, putting up his hands as fists. “Is that why I have to study runes all the time with Mr. Balin?”

“That’s exactly it,” Dís said, smiling. “You’re so clever.”

Fíli swung his feet around on his chair and froze. “But if I’m gonna be king, what happens to Kíli? Does she get to be king, too? I can share, I promise.”

“There can only be one king, Fíli,” Thorin explained.

Dís faced Thorin, even though she was answering Fíli’s question. “You’re not far off, though. Kíli is going to be queen. You are both of the Line of Durin and you will be expected to continue it. A long, long time from now, you’re going to marry her.”

He gasped, covering his mouth. “ _Really_?” he asked, “I get to marry Kíli?”

“Yes, love, you do,” Dís said, finally looking at him. 

“She’s yours,” his father added.

Fíli scrunched up his nose. “She’s not _mine_ ,” he complained, “It’s not like she’s a pony or something.” He flipped his hair and added, “I’m going to make her want to marry me, because we’re best friends. Not because she has to.”

*

It wasn’t easy to have traditional feasts while in exile, but Dís certainly tried to. She told Fíli and Kíli that they needed to be aware of each detail for when they were king and queen. When Durin’s Day arrived, Dís took a day off from going into the market to prepare, cooking as much as she could in their small kitchen area and ordering Fíli to cart barrels of ale from their shed. 

Kíli successfully avoided most of the preparation, which was a fairly common occurrence. Instead, she greeted early guests and followed Thorin and Dwalin around.

Eventually, the feast began, their small house bursting with conversation and song. Dís nudged Fíli to get his fiddle out from his room and he gladly played with a band of other dwarves. Kíli joined them with her own fiddle, lining up back-to-back with him. She wasn’t much of a singer, but she was quite good at picking up instruments and learning how to play them quickly. It didn’t seem very surprising that she was determined to learn how to play the fiddle as soon as Fíli got one as a gift from their father when they were very young.

Other guests danced to the music, banging their feet on the creaky floorboards with traditional dwarven steps. Fíli faced Kíli, watching the way that the candlelight caught on the beads that held her betrothal beads in place. Fíli played through another song before he asked her, “Would you like to dance with me?”

Kíli lowered her fiddle to nod and dove into the next song, her bow furiously moving against the strings. When she finished the song she put her fiddle down and jumped onto the dance floor, reaching out toward him. He squeezed next to her, hooking his arm with hers as they jigged around, laughing when one of them missed a beat or nearly slammed the others’ toes.

Halfway through a song, Thorin’s arms appeared from behind Kíli and grabbed her by the waist. “I must request a dance with my niece,” he said, “Do I have your permission, Fíli?”

Fíli let go of Kíli’s arm and nodded. “Of course you have my permission, uncle!”

Kíli giggled, content with being swept away by her uncle as he led a more complicated dance that she tried her best to follow.

“Might I have a dance with her when Thorin’s done?” Dwalin requested, squeezing his way over to Fíli.

Fíli shrugged. “I mean, sure. Yes. Absolutely. I don’t have to be her only dance partner.”

When most of the men at the feast asked to dance with Kíli, Fíli found himself wishing that he could be.

*  
Fíli entered Dwalin’s house and saw that Balin, Dwalin, and his uncle were already sitting there. His eyes roamed around the room, murmuring, “I assumed that my mother would be around for functions like this.”

“This is a topic that she wouldn’t be able to speak much about,” Thorin explained, pulling the chair next to him out from the table expectantly.

Fíli walked over and sat down, trying his best to keep his composure. He was still jittery after he told Kíli that he didn’t want to go out drinking with her anymore. He no longer knew how to communicate with her, without feeling overwhelmingly jealous of the amount of attention that she was getting and how much attention she was providing to anyone willing to pay for her ale. 

He hooked his fingers together, unsure where he should face for the conversation.

“Fíli,” Thorin said, his voice rumbling, “We must discuss the status of your arrangement with Kíli.”

Fíli nodded, tugging at one of his thumb’s cuticles with his fingernail.

“There’s been some rumors floating around,” Balin added, “Rumors that call into question the Line of Durin and its ability to rule.”

Fíli asked, “What kind of rumors?”

Balin shrugged. “Ah, well. I don’t feel very comfortable using the exact words, seeing as though they have to do with your sister.”

“Mr. Balin. Please. What are the rumors saying about Kíli?”

Balin sighed. “They’re saying that you give her too much freedom, as your betrothed. That she’s… well. They’ve taken to calling her loose. That if you can’t even control someone who’s expected to marry you, how can you possibly rule a kingdom.”

Fíli finally looked up. “She’s not loose. Yes, she flirts, but she would _never_ …” He realized that he picked his cuticle until it bled. He pressed at the skin and said, “Mother has talked to her about… relations. She refuses to sleep with anyone except for me, and not until our wedding night.”

The other three dwarves watched each other, perhaps wondering who should speak next. Eventually, Thorin said, “That’s well and good. But what if she develops feelings for someone that gives her this type of attention? Then what will you do?”

“She’ll come back to me,” Fíli replied, finally jerking his head up at his uncle. “It’s bad enough that she’s tethered to me and has been her entire life. She deserves a few decades to be able to be showered with affection by others genuinely attracted to her, as opposed to obligated to her.” 

Fíli knew that he loved Kíli. He had been aware of it for at least a decade at this point. He was also aware that it was because he had to be. He could easily recall other dwarf women that he could have fallen in love with, as well. There were some that he met at taverns, others he met at the marketplaces, the one with beautiful brown hair that he met at a practice field one time Dwalin brought him there to practice with longer range weapons. He could have tried to find someone that wasn’t his sister. If they had children, they could have a valid claim to the throne, even if they had less royal blood than any child Fíli and Kíli could provide. Then Kíli could be free to love whoever she wanted and they could both find happiness on their own terms.

Kíli knew that her life would always force her at Fíli’s side. But she didn’t have to find herself there in that instant.

“How can you be sure that she’ll want to be by your side, lad?” Dwalin asked.

“Because she still lets me braid her betrothal braids in her hair,” he explained. “That’s enough for me.”

Thorin slowly nodded. “I suppose that will have to be good enough for us, too.”

*

It was the first time Fíli was at Dale’s marketplace and he found himself a little out of place. He accepted that the mountain was his domain. He knew as much of the mines as he could inspect, as well as all the complicated hallways that looped around the living area of it. Anywhere outside of that was Kíli’s realm. 

Unfortunately, the healers declared that she should be put on bedrest a few days prior. He wasn’t entirely sure if he should be worried about her health, or if he should just assume that the healers hoped that forcing her in a room would ensure that she wouldn’t do anything ridiculous in the last few weeks of her pregnancy. Perhaps it was for a combination of these two reasons. 

As he entered the main strip of the marketplace, he wondered what she was up to. Hopefully she wasn’t verbally harassing anyone about her situation. 

He yanked his hood over his head and walked up to each storefront, eyeing its products. He made sure to smile at shopkeepers and say hello, hoping that he wouldn’t cause too much of a scene. He eventually found himself at a stand with various toys. He began to obsessively study each one, flipping them over in his hands to inspect their craftsmanship. 

The shopkeeper noticed him and grinned. “You have a little one?” she asked.

He pushed one of a cat from side-to-side. “Oh, not yet,” he said, “I will in a month or so.”

She nodded her head. “That confirms it,” she murmured. She straightened her posture and said, “I suppose Queen Kíli needs you to perform her weekly visit, my lord?”

He sighed. At least he went unnoticed for four stands or so. “The healers want her to rest, much to her dismay.”

“I sure hope that she and the baby are healthy…” the shopkeeper started.

“Oh! Yes. It’s just a precaution,” he explained.

“Well, that’s good to hear.” She leaned over the stand to point around. “I’ll explain to you her route, because it’s your first time here. First she buys herself something to eat at one of the produce stands. Then she goes to the sides, because those stands usually have less stock than the main area. Then she goes down the main area and typically gets a meal at the nearby inn. She tries to chat with everybody and asks about our access to raw materials and the like.”

He recalled the rows that he saw when he arrived to the marketplace earlier. “She walks the _entire_ market?”

“Oh, aye. She’s quite the expert. She’s also been doing this once a week for the past year or so, so she knows what to look out for.”

He twisted around and gulped. “Well, if she could do this up until a week ago, I can certainly do it, too.”

“Ah! That reminds me. I have something the queen commissioned.” The shopkeeper ducked her head under the table and began to rustle around. “I think she intended it on being a surprise. But if she’s bedridden, it’s probably best you bring it to her.” She reappeared with a long parcel. He took it from her and peeked inside the packaging. He found himself grinning at a pair of wooden swords that looked almost identical to his own. He hugged them tightly as he told her thank you.

As he moved onto another stand, staring in awe of several pairs of tunics fit for very young dwarves. As he inspected the material, that merchant smiled at him. “Saw you picking up Queen Kíli’s order a few stands down. It was nice to actually see your face. You love her just as much as she loves you, don’t you?”

Fíli nearly dropped the tunic. “I beg your pardon?” he asked.

“Ah, my apologies, my lord. We’re not quite as formal as the company you keep nowadays.”

He squinted at her. “I’m beginning to figure out why Kíli likes to spend her time around here so much.”

“We really do consider her _our_ queen around these parts,” the merchant explained, “You take care of us when it comes to making us dwarves look good with the elves and men. But she’s the one that really gave us hope when we were rebuilding this place. Please don’t take offense, my lord.”

“There’s no offense to be taken,” he replied, “I’m certain that she would agree with you. She absolutely adores every one of you.” He continued to look at the clothing and resisted buying anything. 

He looped around the stands toward the outer ends of the marketplace and made his way to several food stands to purchase whatever combination Kíli deemed edible at the moment. The people working there seemed more in tune to what she liked than he did. He continued moving through, trying his best to ask for names until nearly everyone in Dale seemed to be aware that the king was visiting.

He barely made it to the last few stands before the marketplace closed. He somehow only ended up with the commissioned toy, a new set of beads for his beard, and an entire satchel of salted meats and honey treats. He packed his pony and made his way back to the mountain, juggling everything as he made his way to his bedroom.

Kíli nearly jumped out of bed when she saw him. “You took _forever_!” she exclaimed, kicking off her blankets and furs as she pulled him onto the bed. “How did everything go?”

He placed the items on the floor and kissed her on the lips, playing his fingers over her stomach. “I don’t know how you do it every week.”

“Did you get eaten alive?” she asked, moving his hand over a different spot. “Someone’s really happy to see you.”

He paused, feeling kicking against his palm. He pressed his forehead against her shoulder until he said, “The shopkeepers of Dale worship you. I just wish they felt that way about me.”

Kíli laughed. “They just like me, because I buy things.”

“I don’t think it’s just that,” he said, grabbing the satchel and placing it on his lap. “I had someone outright tell me that they consider you their queen. And that you are what really helped them rebuild. They were also very worried about you and hope to see you and the baby as soon as possible.”

“I want to see the baby as soon as possible, myself,” she grumbled, already rifling through the satchel. She pulled out a tin of sweets and squealed. “These are my favorite!” she exclaimed, “How did you know?”

“I didn’t. Everyone else did,” he said, taking one from her and sniffing it before he popped it in his mouth. He took off his boots and swung his legs over the bed. He hooked his arms against hers, listening to her contently munch on her treats as she hummed. She asked about dwarves whose names Fíli only vaguely remembered. He then remembered the parcel still on the ground and cut her off. “Oh! Your commission was completed!” Fíli exclaimed, passing it to her.

She pulled the packaging open and covered her mouth.

He offered her his shoulder and let her crying, holding the toys words close. “I wanted to surprise you!” she cried.

He laughed, kissing her forehead. “I think this was more than enough of a surprise,” he told her, “I think our child will love it.”

She sat up, still clutching the swords in her hands. He wasn’t offended that their child stole her attention away from him without even being born yet.

*

Fíli kicked and shoved at the door, hoping that the banging could block out the sound of Kíli wailing in the other room.

“Be still, my king,” Dwalin begged, placing his massive hand on his shoulder.

“How can I be still?” he asked, “I was tossed out of the room hours ago and we haven’t received any update about her or the baby.” He flexed his hand, feeling the slightest ache in its joints.

“You know she wouldn’t want you to see her in this state,” Dwalin replied, “She has survived battle. She can survive childbirth.”

“Why did I get kicked out?” he asked.

“I couldn’t tell you,” Dwalin murmured, lifting his hand off of his shoulder, “I’m not a midwife.” He crossed his arms uncomfortably and sat on a creaky wooden chair near the door.

Fíli dropped to his knees and pressed his ears against the door. He tried to decipher some sort of words that weren’t just Kíli’s incessant screams. Eventually he heard something along the lines of “suffocation,” “fatal,” and “bleeding out” and he felt his stomach drop. He twisted to Dwalin and whispered, “Something is wrong.”

“Nothing good is going to come from you attempting to eavesdrop like a child,” Dwalin growled, dragging the other wooden chair next to his. “Sit away from the door before you drive yourself mad.”

Fíli dragged the heels of his boots to the chair and sat down next to Dwalin. He still tried to hear any sort of words. But as long as Kíli was screaming, that meant she was alive. Not necessarily in great condition, but she was breathing. That had to be enough for him.

After nearly an hour a new voice cut through. It was a shrill cry of life that made Fíli lower his head and let tears form in the corners of his eyes.

“It sounds like you’re a father,” Dwalin noted, “Congratulations.”

Fíli got up, placing his hand on the door. After nearly half an hour, the door opened, his mother’s face peeking from the crack. He tried to open it further, but Dís placed her hand over his. “She has your hair,” she said, smiling gently. She refused to make eye contact with him. “She’s absolutely beautiful. But you can meet her later. Fíli…” She gripped his hand and brought it close to her chest. “Listen to me. There were complications. Kíli… might not make it. We need to wait it out and hope that she isn’t bleeding internally. She’s aware of what’s going on. Just… I wanted to tell you sooner.”

Fíli didn’t even reply as he pushed the rest of the door open. He covered his mouth when he realized that his mother was covered in blood and there were bloodstains all over the floor of the room, leading to Kíli, who was on several mats and wrapped in a thin, equally bloodstained sheet.

Fíli charged to her, skidding to her side. He realized her eyes were closed and panicked. “Kíli,” he begged, “Open your eyes. I’m right here.”

Her eyes opened into dark slits and she groaned. “Nice to see you,” she mumbled.

“What happened?” he asked.

“She was tangled up. Lots of blood. Might make it. Might not.” She made a scratchy noise in the back of her throat that may have been a laugh. “Better hope she’s sweet like you.”

“I can’t be a parent without you,” he pointed out, laying down against her, not caring that the blood was going to stain his tunic. “I could never teach her to be strong and brave like you.”

“You can. Because you’re strong and brave, too.” She hissed. “Not like I’d be a great mother, anyway.”

He nearly choked on a sob as he pushed a greasy lock of hair out of her face. “Please stop putting yourself down with these things. You’re going to make it through this and you’re going to make mistakes at first. I’m going to make mistakes, too. We’re parents for the first time. I’m sure our mother wishes that she did some things differently with me that she got right with you and all that.” He looked up and saw his mother’s sullen face as she spoke with a healer.

“You should meet her,” Kíli said, “She looks like you. Blue eyes and all.” 

“All babies have blue eyes. They could become dark likes yours.” He wanted to add _you’ll see_ , but how could he be sure? 

Dís joined them with something wrapped in her arms. “Sit up,” she demanded, unafraid to boss around her son, even though he was king.

Fíli sat up, realizing what she was doing. He reached out and she gently placed his daughter in his arms. He brought her close to his chest, staring at her as she sleepily curled up against him.

Kíli scrambled up, trying her best to lean against his hip. Dís gasped and nearly dropped to her knees, but Kíli weakly waved her hand. “Bahel.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“Bahel. We’ll call her Bís most of the time. But… Khuzdul name. Bahel.”

“You want her to be a friend of friends?” he asked.

“Better hope she is.” She struggled to keep her eyes open as she continued to look up at him. She brushed the pads of her fingers against her child’s arms.

“She will be,” he declared, rocking her gently. “You hear that, Bahel? We talk with too many elves and men and whatever else for you to not be.” He flicked his eyes up at his mother and smiled, even though he could feel tears well up. 

Kíli’s head dropped down on his lap and her hand slipped to the floor. “Can I sleep?” she requested, “Promise I’ll wake up.”

“Wait,” he begged, “Stay awake a little longer, please?”

“Oh. I can. I’m just tired, Fíli.”

“I know you are. But you’re mine. And… I’m not letting you go just yet.” 

Dís, perhaps running on some sort of maternal instinct, took the baby away from him, murmuring about getting her to bed. Fíli helped Kíli lean against him and he held her close. “I feel like I spent so many years giving you up. I can’t… I’m not doing that anymore. You’re waking up tomorrow and you’re waking up the next day and you’re not going to those halls until we’re old and gray and our daughter is sitting in your place on the throne.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice?” she asked, her eyes still shut as she smiled.

“That’s how it’s going to be,” he said, “Our uncle is going to have to wait a long while until another member of the Line of Durin joins him.” He leaned back, still holding her close.

Kíli was silent for several moments before she said, “Wanna stay here. Wanna be yours forever. Not ready.” Her face scrunched up as she balled her hands into fists.

“I’m not ready, either,” he told her, wondering if Dwalin was aware of what was going on. Hopefully, he or Balin would be able to oversee any affairs the next day. He prayed that tomorrow would be a day of recovery, not of mourning. “I love you. I know you’re probably aware of this. But… I want you to hear it.”

“And I’m yours. Because I want you to hear it.”

They stayed silent, Fíli listening closely to her breathing as she fell asleep. Her face looked pained in her sleep and Fíli told himself that it was only because she was still hurting. It couldn’t be that she was dying. Especially when there was a child that needed both of them.

Kíli woke up after several hours, her eyes roaming the room. “I’m still here,” she said, her voice still strained. She grinned, trying to tug on Fíli’s tunic. 

Fíli kissed her several times before he tried to sit up. He hissed as he felt the angles of his body ache from the hard floor he refused to fall asleep on. He only let go of her to have a healer examine her. The healer sighed and looked at the couple with absolute relief. “We’ll need to monitor her in case of infection. But the bleeding’s stopped. There doesn’t appear to be any bruising in line with internal bleeding, either.”

Kíli tried her best to jump, but Fíli held her in place. “Don’t you dare,” he told her, “You’ll do none of that until you’re better.” She pouted until a yawn overtook her. He her, continued to kiss her face. He trailed his lips down to her neck, her shoulder, and each digit of her fingers, not caring that their mother, the healers, or the midwife noticed. 

“Where’s Bahel?” Kíli asked, trying to twist her head to look around the room.

“Still asleep,” Dís said, her voice steady despite the tracks of tears down her cheeks, “You can see her once we figure out what to do with you.”

Fíli stood up, straightening his stained tunic and cleared his throat. “Kíli needs to be cleaned up and returned to our bedchambers at once. I’ll send Dwalin to help transport her. I’ll have Ori pen an announcement about the birth of our child, as well as another one stating that I refuse to return to my duties as king until Kíli is healed.” 

“You don’t need to do that,” Kíli mumbled.

Fíli kneeled down, grabbing her hand. “You heard me last night. You’re mine. I’m going to take care of you until you’re able to return by my side in court with our daughter.”

Kíli nodded. “Sounds good,” she murmured, hugging his legs tight. She laughed, the sound much clearer than the night before. “I think I can get used to this.”

**Author's Note:**

> If you have any prompts/requests/questions, feel free to leave a comment or go on my ask box on Tumblr @ gandalfexmachina! Thank you very much for reading!


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